Shillong, October 13: The Meghalaya Cabinet on Tuesday approved a series of decisions covering school education, regularisation of employees, closure of Meghalaya Cherra Cement Limited (MCCL), facilitation of MSMEs, amendments to the Cooperative Societies Act and the state holiday list for 2027.
The Cabinet approved the Meghalaya School Education (School Complex) Rules, 2026, aimed at ensuring smoother transitions for students as they move from primary to higher levels of schooling.
Meghalaya currently has 9,244 Lower Primary schools but only 532 Higher Secondary schools, a gap that often makes it difficult for students to secure admission and requires them to undergo multiple admission procedures while progressing through school.
Under the School Complex framework, Lower and Upper Primary schools will be linked with nearby Secondary and Higher Secondary schools to facilitate smoother movement between classes and reduce administrative hurdles.
The initiative is also aimed at creating a stronger network of nodal and model schools across blocks, subdivisions and districts and expanding access to quality secondary education.
The Cabinet also approved the regularisation of 26 employees who had been appointed on an ad hoc basis against sanctioned posts before the prescribed cut-off date of December 31.
This is the fifth batch of regularisation undertaken in accordance with the Supreme Court’s ruling. The government said nearly 4,000 employees have benefited from the process over the past few years, with the latest decision covering another 26 employees who had earlier been left out.
In another major decision, the Cabinet approved the closure and winding up of Meghalaya Cherra Cement Limited (MCCL).
The government said dues owed to MCCL employees have already been settled. To complete the winding-up process, the Cabinet approved the write-off of pending liabilities, including around ₹8.9 crore in sales tax dues and ₹15.53 crore in royalty dues.
Since MCCL is a government-owned company, the government said these liabilities would otherwise amount to transfers between the state government and its departments. The write-off is intended to simplify the process and facilitate closure without placing an additional financial burden on the state.
The Cabinet further approved promulgation of the Meghalaya Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (Facilitation of Establishment and Operation) Ordinance, 2026.
The ordinance is intended to simplify and accelerate the process for MSMEs to obtain licences, clearances, No Objection Certificates and registrations as part of the government’s Ease of Doing Business initiative.
Initially, the facilitation mechanism will cover white-category industries, which do not require Consent to Establish or Consent to Operate from the Pollution Control Board.
The government said the move is aimed at reducing procedural delays and creating a more business-friendly environment while ensuring compliance with applicable regulations.
The Cabinet also approved a partial amendment to the Meghalaya Cooperative Societies Act, 2015, in accordance with Government of India and Postal Department guidelines.
The amendment to Section 271 will replace the term “Registered Post” with “Speed Post”, aligning the state legislation with terminology currently used by the Postal Department. The government clarified that no other change is involved.
The Cabinet also approved the Holiday List for 2027.
